Despite the hard times of the covid-19 pandemic, Tring’s Friday Charter Market, first established under a Royal Charter from Edward II in 1315, has kept going.
Tring was, apparently, also granted the right to hold a Fair every year lasting 10 days and starting on 29th June, the Feast of St Peter and St Paul.
This 10-Day Fair, seems at some time to have fallen into abeyance, which is not surprising considering the amount of stamina you would need to keep a fair going for 10 days. What with all the drinking and naughtiness which was customary at mediaeval fairs, agricultural productivity would have been seriously compromised, with a corresponding dent made in the profits of the Lord of the Manor.
It would appear then, that good manorial fiscal governance made common cause with the advocacy of piety and the upholding of moral virtues leading to the 10-Day Fair being more honored in the breach than in its observance. High Summer in Tring calmed down and 29th June is now celebrated in a more wholesome manner as the Patronal Day of the Parish Church.
However, be that as it may (or may not) have been, the Charter Market on Fridays proved a steady earner down the centuries and stood the test of time.
And it was certainly in full swing a couple of days ago, now in its 705th year.
Business was brisk, with well-separated queues, social distancing respected and in a tenth of the time that shopping now takes in a big supermarket.
So don’t let our good market and hardworking traders down – shop at the Friday Market, save time, support small businesses and help get our local economy back on its feet!
And that’s not all, on every second and fourth Saturday of the month we also have the Tring Farmers Market. Next one on 25th July, 2020.